I am the breeder of Bucknappy’s lethal white foal. As she said, I did tell her the mare could be carrying a lethal foal. I went into great detail on what a lethal foal was, answered her many questions and stressed the emotional impact the birth of a lethal foal has on not only the mare but the owner. She insisted she wanted the mare regardless and I mistakenly thought she did understand the situation and that nothing but euthanasia could be done for the foal if it was in fact a lethal. I also offered to keep the mare here and foal her out and rebreed her to a negative stallion if the foal was lethal.
I have been breeding horses for over 40 years and anyone who knows me knows that my horses have the best of care. I have been breeding Paints followed by miniature overos for about 20 years and in that time have had just one other lethal foal. I am well aware of statistics (having courses in college for my profession) and what they do and do not prove. It is true the classic punnett square indicates a 25% chance of a lethal foal. The actual documented incidence is 7.8%. I AM aware of what that figure may not include, i.e., embryonic death, under reporting, etc. I (as well as many other reputable breeders), am willing to take that risk in order to combine the bloodlines of two individuals not only for color but for other attributes. While the birth of a lethal foal is tragic and draining emotionally for the mare and the breeder, it is no more so than losing a foal (and many times the mare) to a dystocia, red bag delivery, etc. In my experience those complications occur far more frequently and pose no less risk to the foal and the mare. If we use the line of reasoning that the risk is too great maybe we should all get out of the business of breeding miniature horses….
I respect the opinions of those who do not approve of certain breeding practices and their right to express that disapproval. However, I would NEVER, regardless of my personal opinion, be so unprofessional and crude as to go on a public forum and call someone a worm, moron, etc., because I disagree with them. I would hope that as adults we could refrain from name calling. It is not my intent to become involved in a “flaming contest” so this will be my only post regarding this tragic outcome for bucknappy.
I have been breeding horses for over 40 years and anyone who knows me knows that my horses have the best of care. I have been breeding Paints followed by miniature overos for about 20 years and in that time have had just one other lethal foal. I am well aware of statistics (having courses in college for my profession) and what they do and do not prove. It is true the classic punnett square indicates a 25% chance of a lethal foal. The actual documented incidence is 7.8%. I AM aware of what that figure may not include, i.e., embryonic death, under reporting, etc. I (as well as many other reputable breeders), am willing to take that risk in order to combine the bloodlines of two individuals not only for color but for other attributes. While the birth of a lethal foal is tragic and draining emotionally for the mare and the breeder, it is no more so than losing a foal (and many times the mare) to a dystocia, red bag delivery, etc. In my experience those complications occur far more frequently and pose no less risk to the foal and the mare. If we use the line of reasoning that the risk is too great maybe we should all get out of the business of breeding miniature horses….
I respect the opinions of those who do not approve of certain breeding practices and their right to express that disapproval. However, I would NEVER, regardless of my personal opinion, be so unprofessional and crude as to go on a public forum and call someone a worm, moron, etc., because I disagree with them. I would hope that as adults we could refrain from name calling. It is not my intent to become involved in a “flaming contest” so this will be my only post regarding this tragic outcome for bucknappy.